How do our API payments work?

At Hands In, we provide a white-labeled checkout solution for your customers to pay as a group at checkout or a single individual customer to split the payment across multiple cards. Hands In branding is removed and split payment functionality is seamlessly integrated into your checkout with your company branding.  

Almost half of payment app users are finding new ways to split bills due to the impact of inflation, showing split payments are more crucial than ever. We have created a simple way to install this vital feature natively into eCommerce checkouts through our payments API. This is implemented in a scalable and customizable fashion, regardless of your existing (or non-existing) online checkout flow.

How does this work? Take our Group Payments solution, for example.

• A customer selects the Hands In button at checkout.
• This will create a Group Payments session through the Hands In API. The session is initiated with relevant data such as the size of the group, the total payment amount, customer information and more.
• Our Hands In API will respond back with information about the group payment including relevant IDs for reconciliation, the invite link to join the group, the expiration time of the Group Payment, and more.
• The lead payee will then share this link via social channels, QR code, SMS, or email. We provide functionality within our payment flows to automate this process.
• Each customer joins and authorizes their share of the Group Payment. We then initiate a capture on each payment, with the funds directly deposited into your merchant account through your pre-existing gateway/acquirer infrastructure such as Stripe, Adyen, and Worldpay.

For Multi Card, the process is similar, where:

• A customer selects the Hands In button at checkout.
• This will create a Multi Card session through the Hands In API. The session is initiated with relevant data such as the individual card details, the total payment amount, customer information and more.

• Our Hands In API will respond back with information about the Multi Card payment including how many cards are being used (this limit is set on the merchant’s end).
• The customer will then enter in their payment details and the amount payable on each card.
• Just as with Group Payments- we then initiate a capture on each payment, with the funds directly deposited into your merchant account through your pre-existing gateway/acquirer infrastructure such as Stripe, Adyen, and Worldpay.

What does a merchant need to do to get this split payments API?

We believe integrating our API must be as straightforward as possible.  

Our payment API is easy to use, with a simple, sleek, and efficient implementation process. Not only this, but you have a team to support you along the way.

In terms of the steps you need to take, we’ve concisely summed them up for you below:

Step one: Get a Hands In account

To access our features and install our split payments seamlessly into your checkout, you will need to create a Hands In Account or log in if you haven’t already got one. To create your account, click here. This will also involve entering your merchant details, such as company name, company website, and company email address.  

Step two: Ensure you have a connected payment gateway

To enable Hands In innovations to accept payments from customers (and to make sure they are paying directly into your accounts), you will need a payment gateway that is connected. This could be PayPal, Apple Pay, or Stripe. However, we have countless payments gateway APIs that can be connected- even more niche providers such as Veem and PayU. There are a few restrictions depending on your country however, so make sure you consult our payment gateway list per country or ask our team of experts who will be happy to check for you.

Step three: Preview the API

You can test Group Payments and Multi Card payments via your Merchant Dashboard. This requires no code and has a simple user interface, so you can preview what your payments API could be achieving.  

Step four: Integrate

This is where it gets slightly technical. You either:  

• Embed a Javascript library, provided by Hands In, onto your checkout page  
• Integrate directly via the API with your Backend server (if you have one)

Step five: Payments API Setup

Initiate a Multi Card or Group Payment via the API. The documents that explain this are here. You’ll also need to put your Hands In Merchant's API key in the header of each request, to communicate directly with our API endpoints.

Step six: Subscribe to multi-card webhook events

Webhook events allow your system to know when events relating to your split payments functionality occur, such as a group payment being completed or expiring. This can be done through our merchant dashboard. More details of this setup can be found here.  

Step seven: Watch the split payments begin to take effect

Higher conversion rates, less failed payments, and a better user experience awaits once our split payments API is enabled and successfully implemented. Don’t just take our word from it, hear from Visit Carlingford about the impact Hands In group payments have had on their business.

For advice and guidance on this simple process, get in touch and our experts in secure payments solutions will be happy to help.

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